The disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of “Today” show co-host Savannah Guthrie, is now being treated as a criminal investigation after authorities discovered “suspicious” and “very concerning” circumstances at her million-dollar home in the Catalina Foothills near Tucson, Arizona, where she was last seen around 9:45 p.m. Saturday when one of her children dropped her off; she failed to appear at church Sunday morning, prompting a family member who noticed her absence to alert relatives, who then contacted police late Sunday morning, and Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos stated Monday that Nancy “did not leave on her own,” emphasized that “time is very critical” because she requires daily medication to survive, and ruled out dementia or wandering as explanations, saying she is “of great sound mind” and “as sharp as a tack,” adding, “This is not a dementia-related [case]. The family wants you to know she didn’t just wander off. Her physical limits are based on just age.”
Police have secured Nancy’s cell phone and are examining it for clues, along with security footage from the home. They have asked residents with Ring cameras or other home surveillance to review footage from Saturday night onward. Savannah Guthrie, along with her older brother and sister, is currently in the Tucson area. The family issued a statement Monday: “On behalf of our family, I want to thank everyone for the thoughts, prayers and messages of support. Right now, our focus remains on the safe return of our dear mom. We thank law enforcement for their hard work on this case and encourage anyone with information to contact the Pima County Sheriff’s Department at (520) 351-4900.”
Savannah skipped Monday’s “Today” show due to the crisis. Sheriff Nanos confirmed investigators have spoken with her and her security team, who have been in contact throughout the night. While no specific threats against Savannah have been identified, Nanos said authorities “are not going to dismiss any angles for sure.”
The sheriff urged the public to help by providing any information, as the case has shifted from a missing-person search to a full criminal probe.
